Pokemon Mercia! (A Real-life pokemon Fanfic!)
by Guest98101
Summary: Avoiding all theories of Pokemon World being our world, what if the concept existed on the earth as it is now? all animals, birds and fish that exist today were Pokemon that could be caught and had individual types? What if there was a big regional league twice a year? This adventure follows four trainers from the Mercia region (ie -Central Briton), to become Pokemon Masters.
1. Prologue

While the adventures of Ash, Pikachu and the rest of the gang continue, a new dream awakens for four young children in a distant land.

"Hello there! Glad to meet you!

My name is Piers; people refer to me as the Pokemon Professor!" Piers stood in the centre of a small dark auditorium, facing the 4 new trainers, who were gazing in wonder at the slides being shown behind him.

"Welcome to the world of Pokemon – as you know; they are creatures who inhabit this world in many different shapes and sizes! For some people, Pokemon are pets, while others use them for battle. As for myself – I study them as a profession. You four have been chosen, because of your amazing skills, to represent Rushmore town as the first of us to journey out into the new lands. This is a great honour – I hope you understand, so make the most of it!"

The four youths nodded nervously.

"Good, good!" He smiled "You should all do fine! So, your very own Pokemon Legends are about to begin! A world of dreams and adventures awaits, so without further ado let's go! Tomorrow is the induction day, in which you will all receive your own "Starter Pokemon". Here are the three we currently have at the lab." He flicked his remote and a picture of a Rabbit came up onto the screen. One of the boys scoffed, and then quickly tried to conceal it in a cough.

"Now I'm sure you are all very familiar with this – The Dwarf Lop is an active grass type, who's quite playful and easy to care for. Worth considering if you're looking to go for coordinating or breeding... Anyway, next –" he flicked the remote again, and up came the picture of a young cat came up onto the screen.

"Another obvious one," he continued "The British short-haired is a fire type. It can be a bit harder to handle, but is also quite passionate about what it's doing. Pretty good if you're looking into Breeding or Training... And finally..." The slide changed once more to reveal a majestic young Puppy, standing tall and proud.

"That is more like it!" shouted the same boy who had scoffed previously.

"The Labrador Retriever – This canine is a water type, which has tonnes of potential, and is relatively easy to train. For all you youngsters who want to become a league champion – this is the Pokemon for you!" He paused to let them take it in. All four of the youngster's eyes sparkled. Then it was over – the presentation went off, replaced by the overhead lights.

"And that's it." He concluded "Now, we only have one of each Pokemon, and we'll be operating under a first-come first-serve basis. Make sure you get here quickly." A young boy put his hand up.

"You have a question, Luke?"

"Yes sir. Um, you only showed three Pokemon..."

"Correct, I did."

"But there are four of us here... What happens to the last person who gets here tomorrow?"

"Just don't be the last person!" the Professor grinned. "Nevertheless, I know you'll all do great! The town is placing all of its hopes on you four, so tomorrow we'll let your journeys begin!"

* * *

"Professor, do you think any of them will make it?" The professor and his assistant were working late into the night, making final preparations for tomorrow's induction. The professor smiled.

"Of course! They've all shown they have what it takes, and I have faith in every one of them."

"OK, OK... but if you had to put money of one of them winning the League, who'd you put it on?"

"Are you trying to make a bet with me?" Piers asked suspiciously. They burst into laughter.

"Well, let's see... there's Oliver, who's rather quiet and needs to gain a bit of confidence... but he is very disciplined and super-efficient when it comes to actually doing something... Then there's Luke... probably the most passionate and very clever... but also very clumsy... There's Roy as well –"

"Oh yes that Red-head!" laughed the assistant.

"He's definitely the strongest of the four... And my money would be on him, if he wasn't so arrogant... That leaves Chloe..."

"Your money's on her?"

"She is the most balanced trainer, and has a lot of drive since she's the only girl of the group..."

They continued talking into the night, while four children dreamt of their adventures about to begin.


	2. The Day of Induction

It was in the early hours of the morning, when there was a knock at the door of the Lab. Wearily, Professor Piers went to the door, careful not to knock any experiments over. On opening it, he was surprised to see none other than the young trainer Oliver.

"Oh, my!" was his response.

"Please sir... Could I collect my Pokémon now?" the boy begged.

"Oliver..." the Professor started "Do you know what time it is?!" Oliver gasped;

"I'm not too late am I?"

"Too late? My dear boy you're more than early! I'm afraid my lab doesn't open until 8 O'clock!" Oliver's face fell, and he looked down at the ground.

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"No need to be sorry lad, you'll just have to be patient. Go home and come back at 8."

"I understand," replied Oliver, quickly turning and sitting on the steps of the porch. Silence.

"Oliver..." began the professor. Oliver turned, trying to look innocent. "... Are you really going to just sit there for the next 2 hours till my lab opens?" Oliver nodded.

"Alright..." sighed the professor "You can come in." Oliver's innocent expression turned into a cheeky smile, as he bounded into the lab with excitement.

"Now believe it or not, you're the first one here!" laughed the Professor.

"Does that mean I can pick any one I want?" asked Oliver in wonder.

"Yes." Replied the professor "If you just step this way, your first Pokémon lies in here..." They went through into another room, with all the classic lab equipment, as well as a computer for exchanging Pokémon, and a healer. The middle however, had 3 pads on the floor joined together to form a triangle. They were individually coloured – one red, one green and one blue.

"Alright, these three pads symbolise the three Pokémon's types." explained the professor, "Step on it to choose the Pokémon you want. Remember, for the Rabbit you want Leaf-green, the Kitten is under the Fire-Red, and the Puppy is Water-blue." Oliver slowly walked around the pads deep in thought.

"Take your time, this is an important decision." advised the Professor. Slowly Oliver nodded.

"I think I've made my decision." He said finally.

"Hmm, let me guess" replied the Professor "You're going for the Labrador Retriever? That seems to be the golden one everyone wants?" Oliver shook his head.

"The Puppy's nice and all, but I really feel the one I could... connect with most... is the Rabbit!" cried Oliver, jumping onto the green pad as he did so. The pad started to light up, and from under the surface a small pokeball broke into the real world. Oliver picked it up with awe.

"That's a very good choice, Oliver," said Piers "The fact that you already have an understanding of how to connect with the Pokémon in some way, just shows that you will be a great trainer!"

"Thank you, sir!" smiled Oliver "Alright come on out!" He threw the ball up in the air, causing it to open up, and spit out a red beam, quickly forming a creature, before disappearing, leaving behind a very small Rabbit. He laughed and quickly bent down to stroke his new friend.

"Wow – he seems to like very much!" wondered the Professor "Oh, and that reminds me... do you want to give a nickname to your new pet?"

"A nickname? Hmm let's see... I know! I'll call him Happy! Because that's what I am now... so happy!" laughed Oliver, standing up holding the little furrball in his arms.

"Well then, before I forget, here's your Pokedex and Pokeballs," continued Piers "Remember, once you capture more than six, they will start being sent straight back to the Lab." Oliver nodded happily.

"Thank you so much professor! I won't let you down!"

"Well, I guess that's that. Oliver and Happy, you are the first of us from Rushmore to undertake a journey like this, so do us proud!" Finished the professor.

"I won't!" laughed Oliver, as he ran into a new world, full of dreams and adventures.

* * *

The Professor continued in his lab, setting everything out, and retrieving the other two pokeballs and putting them on stands for the trainers. Perhaps he had been wrong about Oliver. Sure Oliver was quiet, but he knew what he was doing. His in-depth thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was 7 o'clock – the time at which his lab was opened to the public.

"Hello, there?" he said, opening the door. He wasn't surprised to find himself staring down at a little girl with blond hair, and an innocent face.

"Ah! Hello Chloe!" he added "I'm guessing you want a Pokémon, correct?" Chloe nodded eagerly.

"If that's OK with you professor-sir-I-" she began, but the professor waved the comment aside, inviting her into the lab as he did so. She stepped inside, with the same awe and wonder he'd seen past trainers portray as they had stepped into his lab for the first time.

"Now, I'm afraid another young trainer already got here, and has left with one of the Pokémon," he said, waving his arms over towards the three stands, two of which still had a pokeballs on them. He picked the balls up. "You can either have the amazing Labrador Retriever, or you could have the sensational British Short-Haired!" Chloe giggled

"Thank you professor-sir, but I've already made my decision." She picked up one of the metallic spheres. "I choose the puppy!" She stood tall and proud cuddling the ball in content.

"Nice choice!" laughed the professor. "Though, do you want to maybe let her out, and get to know you?"

"Oh, yes great idea!" she squealed, throwing the pokeball into the air, as she did so. A flash of light, and an excited little canine appeared before her. She barked delightfully, and ran up to lick her hand. Laughing, Chloe added "I made the right choice!"

"Do you want to give a nickname to your new companion?" asked the Professor.

"A nickname, eh? Hmm..." thought Chloe, turning to examine her new friend "I know! I'll call you Lucy!" Lucy barked happily in response. The Professor nodded happily. They would do fine.

He gave them the tools they needed; the Pokedex, pokeballs, and then wished them luck as he bid them farewell. They set off north into the great country park; where they were sure find all their dreams come true. The professor returned to his work, expecting another trainer to come very soon. But none came for quite a long time.

* * *

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

"Oh no! I overslept!" Luke was out of bed in a flash, and got dressed as quickly as he could. It was nearly 9am, and if he wanted to have a hope of getting a Pokémon, he would have to get there ASAP! He picked up his pre-packed back and was out of the door before giving a chance to say goodbye at all.

The sand flew up in the air as he ran, and a group of magpies fled from the torrent of a young boy. The Professor's lab was on the other side of the town – about a mile away, and it would take about 10 minutes for him to get there. At least it would have been. As he left the main road, taking a short-cut through a minor back-street, someone bumped into him, causing him to trip and fall into the loose gravel, grazing his knees as a result.

"Ow, hey!" he yelled in protest, before stopping abruptly. Looking up, he saw Roy towering over him, looking arrogant and unfair as always.

"Watch where you're going!" retorted Roy, who was just as annoyed. "Oh, it's you Luke! Well whatever, just don't be so clumsy!"

"Me?!" gasped Luke "You're the one who bumped me!"

"Maybe, but you were running all over the place!" laughed Roy "And now I guess now that you're on the floor, it serves you right! Anyway, I'm off to the lab to get the best Pokémon! Smell ya laters!" With that he ran off in the direction of the lab. Slowly, painfully, Luke got up from the ground and continued, if a little slower, after Roy. Someday, he would beat that arrogant redhead. He would make sure of it.

* * *

"WHAT?! The puppy is gone?!" gasped Roy in horror. He sank to the ground, sadly fighting back the tears. The first round... he had lost... The professor walked up to him.

"I'm sorry Roy; another trainer came over a couple of hours ago, and took the Labrador Retriever. There might be another one you could be interested in though-"

"Please tell me it's the Cat!" The youth was on his feet again, looking at the professor desperately. "I won't take the pesky Rabbit!" The professor nodded slowly, his hand reaching into his pocket, before withdrawing a metallic round ball.

"The British Short-haired resides in this pokeball. It's yours if you want to claim it."

"Professor? I'll take it!" Roy grasped the ball, and tossed it into the air, summoning up a small grey feline. It at once bounded up to Roy, and purred softly. "Ha-ha! It's perfect!" laughed Roy, stroking the cat affectionately. "I think I'll call you Blaze!"

* * *

Luke finally reached the lab. It had taken him much longer than he had wanted thanks to the collision with Roy. His wounds still needed tending to, but that didn't matter now. All that mattered was that he got a Pokémon. He hobbled up the stairs to the lab, before Roy appeared from the threshold.

"Ha, hi again Luke!" he scoffed "Guess who's got the most powerful Pokémon?!"

"You mean you got –"

"Yup," Roy lied. Everyone knew that the dog was the most powerful of the three starter Pokémon but still, he was ahead of Luke and that was what mattered.

"Grr, I'll show you!" growled Luke, brushing past.

"No you won't!" responded Roy, happily. "I'm just too awesome for you – already out of your league!"

"Never!" cried Luke running into the lab, away from Roy. As soon as he got a Pokémon, he would show him; he would make him pay.

"People usually knock." Sighed the Professor.

"Professor! I'm sorry, but is there still any Pokémon? I really wanted to start my journey today!"

The professor motioned Luke into the lab.

"Well, OK then. Which Pokémon do you want?"

"I'd like the Dog please!" gasped Luke. Piers shook his head.

"I'm afraid another trainer came in earlier, and took the Labrador Retriever." He said. Luke gasped. _Roy – Why?!_

"Um, OK then... Could I have the Fire type? The cat?" Again the professor shook his head.

"The British Short-haired was also taken by a trainer then this morning." said the professor.

"What?!" gasped Luke. Then he remembered how late he was. That was why. "In that case, I'll take the rabbit!" But again, the professor shook his head.

"The Dwarf-Lop was also taken." He sighed. No. That couldn't be. Luke wouldn't accept it. Was his journey over before it had begun?

"Please sir..." he begged "It was Roy... He knocked me on the way here, causing me to be late!"

"Are you passing the blame?!" the professor suddenly was angry at Luke. And it tore him. The professor was right. If he was to win he couldn't give excuses... he had to accept, and find another way.

"I guess I was..." he began, tearfully "But no, you're right. It's my fault I'm late. I'm sorry."

"Well, you're the one who lost today, so you reaped what you sowed." Replied the professor.

"Please sir... Is there any more?" pleaded Luke. The professor sighed.

"There is one, but I'm not sure if you're ready yet."

"Professor, I am! Please let me have it!"

"Very well then," nodded the Professor, reaching into his jacket "The problem is, it's untrained. It doesn't know how to respond or use moves – You'll have to start from the ground up." He handed the ball to Luke, who threw it out immediately, revealing the creature inside.

"Wow!" gasped Luke. "It's a hedgehog."

"Mmm-hmm, an electric type – it's very timid, and can be quite passive." explained the professor. The hedgehog peaked curiously around and started to explore.

"Luke, you've got a hard challenge in front of you," continued the professor "And it will be very tempting at points to give up. But if you persevere, even without an easy starter, you could become the best trainer of all four." Luke nodded, happily.

"Let's do this!" he said.

**WOW! THAT'S QUITE A LONG CHAPTER FOR ME! ANYWHO, WHAT DID YOU THINK? THE CHAPTERS WILL NOW BE BASED AROUND THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS. SO OF THE FOUR, WHICH ONE DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE LEAGUE?**

**SHY BUT CLEVER OLIVER?**

**INNOCENT AND READY CHLOE?**

**ARROGANT BUT STRONG ROY?**

**OR CLUMSY BUT DETERMINED LUKE? PLACE YOUR BETS ALL, THE ACTIONS JUST GETTING STARTED!**


	3. Oliver: Day 1

"Alright Happy, let's go!" Oliver released the little Rabbit and they began running together. The sun still hadn't risen fully, and the countryside was full of life and sound. Along the path they ran, through fields, thickets, woodland...

The sun was shining, and it reflected Oliver's mood as he and Happy travelled westward. He knew it wasn't the way most trainers went, but he had a different plan to the bog-standard role of journeying round different gyms and then making it to the Mercia League. He was on his way to the Trinity Training College; a school that gave young trainers special intense training with their Pokemon to reach their full potential. It would be tough, but it would make them strong trainers, and hopefully set him up to be a good coordinator. _Set them up. _He had to remember now – it wasn't just him on this adventure. Happy was there as well, even if the little ball of fur didn't know where they were going.

"Oh Happy! I almost forgot to say where we're going!" laughed Oliver, trying to sound casual. Happy looked up at him wide-eyed. "We're going to this training centre called Trinity college which will teach us to become strong together. It'll be tough, but I know you- I mean we can make it!" he exclaimed. Happy squealed in affirmation.

They hurried along the road, not wanting to turn up late for the start of this opportunity. But in all this excitement, a hint of regret came over Oliver's expression. He was passing tonnes of woodland, full of rich wildlife. But he didn't have time to try and catch anything; he had to reach the college. However, as they ran along the path, a Robin flew up to him and landed right in front of them on the pathway. It was too good an opportunity to miss.

"Alright Happy, let's go!" shouted Oliver "This is it; our first battle!" Happy jumped into position, and his eyes focused on the Robin, who was also lining up its defence. The battle had begun. "Use tackle!" he cried, pointing toward the, now hovering robin. Happy nodded, and ran toward the bird, bracing itself for a collision. With surprisingly good timing, it leapt into the air, quickly nearing the position the robin was in. However, at the last second when the move was about to make contact, the bird flew straight up, completely avoiding the attack and throwing away any chance of the move meeting its mark. Oliver gasped in shock - he hadn't expected the robin to be that fast! If he was to beat it, then both he and Happy would have to be faster.

"Don't let it get away!" he yelled "Turn and use tail whip!" Happy nodded, and as it landed, manoeuvred itself perfectly. In one swift motion it had leapt back toward the new position of the robin, and preparing a strong tail whip. But the robin was ready now. It flew up high, out of reach of the attack and turned to charge up a move of its own. It's beak pointing straight forward, it dived down toward the rabbit at a speed that Oliver hadn't thought was possible of a bird that small. It all happened way too quickly. One second the creatures were speeding toward each other. The next, the moves collided and Happy cried out as the peck attack gave a direct hit. Then the robin was gone and Happy was on the ground tending its wound. Oliver rushed up to his friend, taking off his bag as he did so and getting out a couple of potions. Happy whimpered sadly.

"It's alright!" laughed Oliver "That was a tough one! I didn't know battles were that intense." He gave the rabbit an Oren berry which seemed to replenish the animal's spirits and shortly after, they were back on the road.

Nothing happened for about quarter of an hour. All the Pokemon seemed to be hiding, and there was no-one else coming down the road. Except one. At around 11:30, the smell of diesel came into the air, and a large, plane white pick-up truck came into view. It was very loud, causing many Pokemon to leave their hiding spots and flee in every direction. It came to a stop as it passed Oliver, and the window opened revealing a young woman of about 13 driving the vehicle. She was short with long red hair, and Oliver was quite surprised she was able to drive at that age. But her face had obviously seen a lot, and it was not in his place to question her authority.

"Hey kid... I think you're going the wrong way." She said, showing no emotion whatsoever.

"Uh, no? I've read the map right I think..." replied Oliver, somewhat confused.

"Well let me tell you – The nearest gym to you is around 20 miles back the way you've come."

"Well thanks," smiled the boy "But I'm not going to the gyms... I've decided to go straight to the Trinity Training College." The girl looked confused.

"Wait... So they just accepted you... straight off?"

"Well, sorta... I'm joining up to the junior branch that they run. It's basic training where they build you from the ground up to become the best coordinator you can be!" explained Oliver, once again excited. It sounded quite amazing whenever he talked about it. The girl nodded slowly.

"I see," she replied "Well then rookie you can hop in if you want. 'Cause Trinity Training college is where I'm off to as well."

"Really?" blinked Oliver in surprise. The girl nodded, and he recalled Happy before climbing into the truck. It felt weird... He had always seen the college as a clean and tidy conservative place, that liked to have everything just right. This girl seemed much more rebellious and looked like she had just been across the world. She was quite scruffy and while she looked quite nice, all the stuff she had in the truck looked very rough and hardcore. _A bit too much like a Trainer for a coordinator_ he thought. But he didn't complain, for he was getting a free ride to the College, which was much better than walking (he hated walking). So after settling himself down, and placing Happy on his lap, they were off.

"So you just got your Pokemon today, huh?" began the girl.

"Um, yeah... Today was induction day so I chose Happy." Replied Oliver, now feeling slightly awkward, since he had no clue what to say to this mysterious person. The girl looked at him curiously.

"Wait, you named your rabbit Happy?" she asked.

"Yeah... It was how I felt at the time, and I thought it was rather apt." Responded Oliver, still unsure as to what was happening.

"Oh my gosh, that is so cute!" squealed the girl, causing Oliver to jump in surprise. He just couldn't get over the idea that this rough rebellious girl was actually... quite pretty and soft as well? That just didn't make sense in his head.

"So... are you a trainer...?" he questioned, trying not to sound awkward or weird.

"What do you mean?" responded the girl.

"Well... You sorta look pretty like a coordinator should... but then very scruffy and rebellious like a trainer... I can't work you out..." he explained. At that remark, the girl burst into laughter, barely managing to keep her eyes on the road.

"You're honest kid, I'll give you that!" she replied "Well let me ask you... is being a coordinator any different from being a trainer?"

"Yes, of course!"

"How?"

"Well..." Oliver thought for a second "Trainers go on journeys!"

"So do the best coordinators."

"Well... trainers actually battle Pokemon"

"So do the best coordinators."

"But then... Trainers don't have style or care about appearance!"

"The best ones do." There was a long silence as Oliver tried to find a good reply, but he couldn't find anything.

"Come back to me when you've thought it through properly." Smiled the girl reassuringly. She held out her hand. "I'm Keneko" Oliver shook it, still dazed what was happening.

"I'm Oliver..." he choked going red. Why was he acting like this? Why did he feel so weird? She was just a girl after all, even if she was pretty beautiful... He chose to remain silent for the rest of the journey, stroking Happy and looking outside across the amazing landscapes. Luckily, Keneko didn't press him and the journey continued peacefully without any more encounters.

"Oliver! Wake up!" Oliver slowly opened his eyes wearily, before realising where he was. The truck was still moving, and Keneko looked the same as she had done when he had last seen her. Wait... he had just slept the whole journey?! In the middle of the day as well?! He sat up straight in a start, apologising and rubbing himself down to look distinguished. Keneko looked amused, but he ignored her and looked out to see what had caught Keneko attention. His look became that of wonder, as the truck drove through 2 massive arches that marked the entrance of Trinity training college. It looked massive – Different shaped buildings surrounded the entrance, alive with students and trainees of different ages and abilities running in and out of different buildings. Behind the buildings he could see training fields, courses and lakes being used by yet more youngsters. Even behind there, the hills far off to the south looked like they were part of the campus, and he could see a couple of battles going on up there. With all the different types of people there, it looked like quite a colourful campus. Oliver had been expecting everyone to be wearing exactly the same uniform, and for it to be a bit of a more low-key setup. But so many people were here, no-one seemed to notice this old battered-up white truck enter the front gate. They came to a barrier, with a security box on the driver's side. Inside sat a young girl who of about 12 or 13 who held the barrier controls.

"Hi guys!" she said cheerily "What are you here for then? And who have we got here?"

"Just me and this kid." Replied Keneko, waving her hand across to Oliver.

"I see, what are your names?"

"I'm Keneko from the states, and this is Oliver..."

"- Oliver Tamner" finished Oliver abruptly.

"Oh... Hi Keneko!" exclaimed the girl suddenly "Yeah sorry I didn't remember you – Well I guess you don't need the guidebook or anything, since you've been here enough times!"

"Good to see you too, Susie!" responded Keneko, now beginning to sound a bit tired.

"I know, right?!" giggled the girl now christened Susie "And you've got an Oliver... Tamner... with you..." now typing ferociously at the computer next to her.

"Oh, he's not with me, I just picked him up on the road on the way here... apparently he's here for some junior branch or something?" There was a short pause, as the girl continued to look through folders and files around the little office.

"Found you!" she shouted out so suddenly it caused them all to jump. She handed a shiny red folder through into the van, which had the words "Oli Tam" on it. "In there, you've got all the stuff you need to get started!" she said excitedly "- Guidbook, Map, Timetable, Badge... It's all in there!"

Oliver grasped it excitedly and keenly began to unpack the folder.

"Anyway-" The girl continued "If you get out here, and head through into the "Water" block, there's a room where all the new students are meeting and stuff. Some student ambassadors and coaches will show you the ropes."

"Thanks." Replied Oliver. With that, the gate opened and Keneko and Oliver entered the college.


	4. Chloe: Day 1

**Hey guys! This chapter is a little slower in terms of pace, but I thought it was necessary to establish more of Chloe's character. If you don't like one of the characters and prefer an individual, you can skip one character's chapter without missing much vital stuff!**

"Well, here we are Lucy!" said Chloe, admiring the forbidding path surrounded by trees in front of them. Lucy barked in excitement.

"Apparently this wood winds through a big country park that's miles long." continued the girl, now studying an over-elaborate map "So we should see a lot of new Pokémon around for you to practice training with. Want to get going?"

A cry of affirmation from the canine and they were off running through the woods at an impressive pace, looking around in awe.

"Wow! Aha – Look at that one! There's one through the trees!" Chloe was now calling and twirling around randomly looking at all the exciting wonders, and Lucy had to be careful not to get stepped on. Chloe was having such a good time, that she didn't look at that path ahead, and tripped over an offending branch, falling on her face. "Ow..."

Lucy barked amused, and jumped on top of her trainer playfully. "Not fair!" cried the girl, trying and failing to get her Pokémon off her back. Then she brightened. "Hey Lucy – want to practice some of your moves?" Lucy responded by jumping off her trainer, and standing ready at a battle stance, her tail wagging excitedly. Chloe grinned. It turned out her new partner loved training!

"Alright," she continued "Let's see what moves you know." bringing out her pokedex and putting it in front of the young Labrador.

"The Labrador-Retriever. A water-type Pokémon, and part of the Dog Family. Its known moves are Tackle and Growl." Informed the machine.

"Great!" grinned the new trainer, withdrawing the device. "So Lucy, do you want to practice your Growl attack first, then?" The Pokémon didn't need to be told twice – She looked toward the girl, barring her teeth and trying to look as intimidating as possible. "Hmm, that's okay... but I think you could do better" smiled Chloe. Lucy faltered, and turned her head questioningly.

"Well, for one thing-" began the girl "The aim of a growl is to scare the opposition, and to tell the truth I wasn't properly scared by that. But if we try it a few more times, we should make it! Now come on, show me a growl!" Lucy barred her teeth again, slightly wider this time, and it was obvious she was straining herself. The girl walked up to her.

"Okay – Hold that position!" she ordered, and the animal obeyed. "Now the issue isn't in the teeth, you've got that pretty perfect." She admired, stroking the Pokémon affectionately.

"But your stance is all wrong. You standing just normally – to make it look more believable, you should try looking like you're about to pounce! Like this!" She got down on her hands and knees and demonstrated how she thought a growl should be made, causing Lucy to bark excitedly. If dogs could laugh, then Lucy would be in hysterics.

"Hmpf! Very funny!"yelled Chloe "Now let's see you try!" Lucy barked in affirmation, and leapt into a pretty good-battle stance. "Hey I like that jump you made!" gasped Chloe in awe. "Try that again, but this time leap forward to show that you cover the ground around and behind you!" She made an over-exaggerated jump forward to show the canine what she meant, but Lucy was way ahead of her, leaping in front of her and giving the best growl she could muster. "Waa!" Chloe fell onto her back, causing Lucy to rush up to her apologetically. "Lucy! You... Scared me..." gasped Chloe, smiling "Great job! I think you've nailed that attack! Now let's try learning to use Tackle!"

The next few hours consisted of Lucy and Chloe running into each other, and more often than not, landing in a heap on the floor. After a couple of hundred rounds of the 2 getting bruised, cut and dirty, they decided to stop for lunch. "Wow Lucy, I think you've really gotten strong from all that training!" laughed Chloe "That was a great day! So shall we stop the training for now and continue travelling?" Lucy barked happily. "Great!" Smiled the Girl happily "Although we haven't caught any more Pokémon yet... I wonder how hard that could be..." she stood up abruptly "Alright Lucy that's our next mission, okay? Continue travelling and catch a Pokémon! Let's go!" And with that, the 2 ran forward into the great unknown.

* * *

"Alright this is it!" whispered Chloe excitedly. Peeping through the long grass, they spotted a small Rabbit hopping around through the undergrowth.

"It's perfect!" she screamed silently, trying to contain her excitement. She looked across at her partner.

"Okay Lucy, I want you to attack in 3... 2... 1... Ow!" A sharp pain in her ankle caused her to cry out, alerting everything in the area of her presence. Instantly all the Pokémon in the vicinity were gone, save 2. Lucy, and whatever had pecked her foot. She turned around in a rage.

"Who did that?!" she screamed, and stopped abruptly. A duck looked vacantly back at her.

"Alright! What's the big idea?!" she yelled, forgetting that it probably couldn't understand her. It looked at her blackly for a second, before walking toward her open bag, and rummaging around in her open bag.

"Hey! That's mine!" exclaimed Chloe, now getting seriously agitated. She snatched up her bag, forgetting that it was open, and out fell all her clothes, equipment, pokeballs, notes and make-up. The scream which followed could be heard a mile away.

"Why me? Why me? Why me?!" sobbed Chloe, desperately trying to throw all her, now muddy belongings back into the rucksack. The duck watched blankly, before going over and trying to help. "Look if you want to help," said Chloe through tears "you can throw over some of that equipment." She pointed to her Dex and pokeballs. The duck looked over, then back at Chloe, then over to the equipment again. It waddled up to one of the pokeballs, and tapped the centre-piece. A red light absorbed the bird, and after one shake of the pokeball, it was caught. Chloe blinked.

"Did that just happen?" she asked Lucy, before checking her pokedex, which was buzzing from the capture.

"The Mallard." It stated. "A water and flying type, and part of the Duck family. The most familiar of all ducks, Mallards occur throughout North America and Eurasia in ponds and parks as well as wilder wetlands and estuaries. This Mallard is male, and its known moves are: Peck, Gust, and Bubble."

"Wow..." said Chloe, blankly putting away the Device "Wait... I just caught a Pokémon!" She laughed, and released her new capture. The Mallard looked questioningly up at her.

"Hi!" she began pleasantly trying to befriend the vacant bird. "Thanks for joining my team... Um... I appreciate it." She looked around, unsure what to say. "Hmm, what should I call you..?" she thought out loud. "I've got it! From now on, I'll call you Splash! Okay?" The duck remained expressionless, although she could sense somehow that it had understood.

"Alright then!" grinned Chloe, standing up again "Let's get some more training down!" They continued along the path, now throwing an attack at every couple of trees. She quickly learnt how to command Splash, and it before long it began to get dark.

"Hmm, guys we'd better set up camp soon, we don't want to be walking around in the dark." Commented Chloe. The three huddled close together as they walked, but they still felt very vulnerable. "Here's far enough!" decided Chloe, after a few more minutes of anxious travelling. But just as they stopped, she heard a cry. It belonged to an animal, Chloe knew that much, but she didn't have a clue what to make of it. Quickly they got up and ran to the sound to investigate.

* * *

The Dove was lying on the path floor, obviously severely injured, and helpless in front of the nearby fox that was advancing towards her. The fox was licking its lips; ready to pounce, when-

"Lucy! Stop that fox!" A white streak flew into view, and standing between the dove and the fox, was a young Labrador retriever. "Great job!" called Chloe, running onto the scene with the emotionless bird at her side. "Give it a growl!" The dog leapt forward toward the larger Pokémon, barring its teeth. The Fox seemed unfazed and growled back, startling Lucy. The fox advanced, and charged toward the Canine, its eyes burning.

"Quick Lucy! Jump right, and then Tackle the fox in its side!" the dog did as she was told, and landed a critical hit on the fox. The wild creature's fur suddenly glowed bright red, and its whole body was wrapped in flame.

"That's Ember!" gasped Chloe. The red tears flew towards Lucy, who had no clue how to avoid them. "Uhh – Lucy dodge!" cried Chloe, for once unsure of where to go. But Lucy didn't listen, for something extraordinary was happening. As the ember flew toward the dog, Lucy barked, breathing out a pack of bubbles. The bubbles deflected the Embers, and hit the fox head-on, causing it to react furiously. The dog gave one last growl, and the fire-type fled. The Fox had had enough.

"Wow, great job Lucy!" cheered Chloe "That was amazing! You learnt Bubble!" The dog barked proudly, before turning to see the victim it had been defending. The small dove looked in bad shape. It had a broken wing and by the looks of it, it wouldn't make the night. Chloe scooped up the small bird, and cradled it. "Don't worry poor thing – I'll take care you..." she vowed silently. "Hmm, I need to get it to a Pokémon centre... but the nearest one of them is in Godiva town... and that's a good few miles away... Could we get there before nightfall...?" she looked at the tender bird "Yes. I have to. The life of this bird depends on it!" She stood up, and returned Splash to his pokeball.

"Alright Lucy, can you protect us on our journey to the next town?" asked the girl. The dog barked happily, keen on helping in any way she could. Chloe nodded back, and without any more thought, began to run town the next town. It was good that Lucy was guarding her, for the darkness was closing in fast, and she had no clue what was lurking a few meters behind the path boundaries.

* * *

"Oh great." said the girl, stopping suddenly. For right in front of her was a jagged ledge, with no easy way up or around. There was nothing for it; she would have to climb. But her hands were full carrying the dove. She had to catch it – it was the only way.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, tears in her eyes as she pressed the red and white sphere up against the dove. The red beam absorbed the dove, and with one shake it was caught. Now, she just had to get it to the lab. She began climbing up the ledge. It wasn't as high as she had thought it was, and she was able to get up there without much difficulty.

"Lucy return!" she called, when reaching the top, before sending the canine out again on this new level. "Alright, let's go!" she grinned.

* * *

Around an hour later the doors to the Pokémon centre of Godiva Town opened, and a young girl rushed in with a small white puppy.

"Hello can I help?" beamed a nurse at the desk. She had pink hair, and an innocent face, which seemed to warm the girl's heart effortlessly.

"Um... Yeah, I heard this place is where you can heal injured Pokémon?" asked Chloe, too tired to show much emotion at this point.

"That's right!" smiled the nurse "I'm Nurse Joy, and I can make sure that your Pokémon are completely fighting fit!"

"Thanks!" grinned Chloe, handing over the Pokémon "So should I come back tomorrow, or...?"

"Well if you like, there are rooms for trainers to stay here overnight." Replied Nurse Joy ", If you want, I can book you into one."

* * *

Chloe lay in bed, smiling to herself. She had already reached the next town – in ONE DAY! She and Lucy were getting on great; she had caught Splash, and even saved a dove from an overpowered predator. If she kept going like this, she'd be sure to win the league, she just knew it!

**So yeah! That's Chloe's first day, and with 3 Pokemon, and reaching the first city already? That's a pretty good run! She's obviously gonna win, right?! Anywho, next time will be a look at Roy :P**


End file.
